Tuesday, November 19, 2013

What is it about the Holiday season that brings out the worst in people? I guess the stress of cooking, family visiting, shopping, cleaning etc., all builds up and overwhelms us until we reach a breaking point.

The last few years, I have dreaded this time of year. I do not like dealing with cranky people or angry crowds - which ironically brought out the worst in me during the "happiest time of the year".

So, I am making a purposed effort to be extra nice to cranky people and to enjoy this time of year with family and friends.

Let me challenge you that when you find yourself getting all holiday bent out of shape, that you find a way to make someone else's day better.. after all, giving always makes the heart happy.

I mean seriously people, if you're gonna get that stressed out over it, then what is the purpose? Because you are making the rest of us miserable.

Monday, November 18, 2013

I think so often we get stuck in a rut. Whether it's at work, school, kids, whatever... we get tied to this whole - it's always been done this way mentality. Just because it's been done that way for the last 10 years, doesn't mean it's the best way. In fact, change is probably long overdue. Be current, be creative - think outside the box once in awhile. Get outside your comfort zone and learn to color outside the lines. You just might surprise yourself.
-M

Friday, November 15, 2013

Our kids will survive if they don't get everything they want. *GASP*
What happened to hard work, respect, earning it? I feel like I've always been a pretty hard worker. If I didn't earn it, then I don't want it. I'm not talking about receiving gifts or being blessed by someone here... I am trying to teach our girls to work hard, to be responsible, to show respect. We live in an age, where everyone gets a trophy, even if you did nothing to earn it. Really? I don't get it. What is that teaching? - That you can do nothing and still reap the rewards? We are so bent on not hurting anyones feelings, or worrying that our kids will grow up to learn that life isn't fair. Well, guess what, life ISN'T fair - it's learning to navigate through that, that produces responsible, society contributing adults. I don't want things handed to my kids - I WANT them to work for it. High school will be hard, college even harder, and life the hardest. I am doing them no favors by doing it all for them. There will be disappointments, hardships, failures - but it's how you deal with those things that build character. We can't control our circumstances, but we CAN control how we respond in those circumstances.

Agree, disagree or agree to disagree - but that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

I tend to be a glass half empty kind of person. That's not something I'm really all that proud of. My first reaction is to find the problems. So I am trying to make a conscious effort to find the good in situations. I do believe that you can find the good in most situations. Bad, crappy, unfair things are going to happen - sometimes more than we think is our fair share. but that just makes it more of a challenge to find the good things. And once I start highlighting the good, it becomes easier to focus on the good instead of the bad. Plus, I have a husband who can find the good in a pile of dog poo...most days.

It's kind of a personal challenge actually. When I start wanting to complain, I use that as a reminder to instead look for something positive.

I have this one customer at work, she is always so nice, so friendly - she is such a joy. I love when she comes in because we just chat for a minute and she reminds me that all is not lost. LOL Seriously, though, she inspires me to be better.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

So we moved into this house in July and I have been trying to do little things here and there as I have time. The living room is almost done. I am a total thrift store addict. I absolutely hate buying stuff brand new - well most stuff. I'm not talking like socks and underwear here...

I can see potential in all those ugly, unwanted end tables at the good will. And I love a mix match mentality when it comes to decorating. I don't know that I have a definite "style" - If I like it, I find a way to use it. I guess you could say I'm sort of eclectic with a leaning towards country. But not like a wood shelf with heart cut outs country. More of country chic - is that even a style? Well, it is now. :)

I love when I can take something old and yucky and make it new and fabulous.

I've said before that I don't necessarily want this blog to just be about projects - but since projects and decorating are part of my everyday life - they are bound to creep up every now and again. So I do want to share a wall in my living room that I just did. In my head it looked different, but in the end I am really happy with what ended up appearing on my wall. lol

Let me tell you a little secret about my projects process.
1. I decide what I want to do
2. I do it

Yup, that's it. I'm not really a measure, tape, find the center kind of girl. If it looks imperfect, all the better. My husband was gasping during this whole project. I finally let him measure the wall and find the center for me. But then he had to take our girls trick or treating (I stayed home to hand out candy) so I banged out the rest of the wall while he was gone. *insert sinister laugh here*

Is it perfect, no - but I love it. Once I add a few more things to the room, I will happily give you guys a living room tour. But for now, this is all you get.

Monday, November 11, 2013

I really enjoy blogging. I consider myself to be a fairly creative person - and blogging is a creative outlet for me. I want to take my blogging seriously, and I want others to take my blogging seriously. Sometimes I struggle with what to write about - if it's important to me, will it be important to others? I'm not a writer, maybe I should stop being a poser, does anyone really care?

But you know what, this is where being ME (in case you missed this post) comes into play. I WRITE about what is important to me. If I can inspire just one person then it's kind of worth it, don't you think?

I read Ashley's post the other day and I just had to share it. I've read it before, but it's EXACTLY how I feel, and I hope you will love it. Take a look around her blog while you're there - she's pretty great.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Fall is nearly behind us, even though we are still having some fairly warm days for November here in NY. Soon enough everything will be covered in a layer of white stuff... Here are some pics from our family day trip to the Adirondacks about a 1 1/2 months ago. I can't get enough of fall foliage here in the Northeast. I'm always sad when the colors are gone..

Friday, November 8, 2013

I was so excited for apple picking this year. Since living in TX for the last 8 years, we haven't been able to go, so I was so excited for this year. I love a northeast fall season - and apple picking is a must... We loaded up the girls and the dogs on Columbus Day weekend and drove the 3 hours to MA, to see all the family for the long weekend. It's always nice to just get away.

Everyone, well almost everyone got together and we had a great day. Enjoy the pictures! (Courtesy of my sister)

all the cousins

me and my sister

not sure what was so funny, but i love this candid shot of my 13 year old

me and the hubby

cousins

baby cow - ahh, i LOVE baby animals

almost the whole family

monkey in a tree :)

the kids all wanted a picture eating an apple. too bad these were all rotten. LOL

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Cold and flu season is upon us. We are a pretty healthy family, but the occasional cold, ear infection, strep throat still plagues us every now and then. For anyone who doesn't know me well, I try to stay away from over the counter drugs and medicines unless absolutely necessary. The same goes for antibiotics. Most of it is way way way too overused and overprescribed. And over the years I have found alot of all natural medicines/remedies that work for the majority of ailments. So I thought I would share some stuff that works for us. We also see a chiropractor regularly and believe 100% that our good health can be attributed to getting regular adjustments. Before we started getting adjusted I would probably get 5-7 colds a year. Now I get maybe 2, and they don't last as long and aren't quite so nasty. So yes, I am a huge proponent of chiropractic care. In case you are wondering, we see Dr. Antonio Marotta and we really love him! So if you are local, check him out. What have you got to lose right? His fees are reasonable, he is great, and his office staff is awesome too! And if you are wondering, yes our kids also get adjusted - it's a family affair.

Probiotics - we take everyday, sometimes multiple times a day. Probiotics put good bacteria in your digestive tract which is where about 70% of your immune system is. All the good bacteria helps fight off any bad bacteria that shouldn't be there. If you have to take antibiotics for anything, I highly recommend also adding in a probiotic supplement. Antibiotics tend to kill ALL bacteria good and bad. Do you ever notice that you sometimes get sick again, soon after ending a round of antibiotics? It's because you have killed off all the good stuff in your digestive tract, and there is nothing left to fight the bad stuff off. So adding in a probiotic really helps.

I take a flax seed supplement every day. Flax seed is good for a number of things. I'll let you google that.

Things you can do/take for colds, ear infections, sore throat etc.

Green tea is really good to fight colds - find organic
Braggs apple cider vinegar is great for so many things. Take a little every day to fight stuff. But if you are sick, you can mix just a little bit in your green tea with some honey. Triple threat.
And you can take that as many times as you want - green tea does have caffeine though.

Ear infections/earaches - a piece of a garlic clove in the ear, and cover with a cotton ball. Leave in for a few hours. You can do this multiple times a day until the earache is gone. A hot compress on the ear also feels good. With my kids, I've found that the garlic works pretty quickly.

Pink eye - chamomille tea. Works like a charm. I brew a cup of the tea, and then use a cotton ball soaked in the tea to clean the infected eyes several times a day. Don't use the same cotton ball on both eyes, you'll just be spreading infection between eyes. This will usually clear up the infection in a day or two.

Sore throat - The green tea/apple cider vinegar also works for sore throats. But what I always have on hand for sore throats is grapefruit seed extract. It takes like junk, I'll be honest, but it works wonders on throat infections. For really bad sore throats, you can put a drop or two directly in the throat. Otherwise, just mix a few drops with a drink of juice and take this several times a day until symptoms are gone.

Lots of hand washing. - When the kids get home from school, they wash their hands first thing. And multiple times through the day. I have a nail biter, so she tends to catch more stuff, so lots of hand washing in necessary.

A note on the apple cider vinegar - you want the raw, unfiltered stuff. Not walmart brand. Go with Braggs. It has all the beneficial stuff in in. When you see floaties, that's a good thing.

Also, with apple cider vinegar - it makes a good bath soak. If you've been achy from cold or flu, you can put a couple cups in a tub of warm water and soak for a bit. It helps to pull toxins out of your body and you'll leave the bath feeling better than when you went in.

Of course, if you are concerned that something is very wrong, you should see a doctor. I have just found that these things work for us, for minor ailments and infections.

I also make our own laundry soap, shampoo and I use a special facial cleanser that I make myself and a jojoba oil moisturizer... Just read the labels on stuff - totally skeeves me out. Anyway, maybe I'll post more on all that at a later date. For now, if you have an all natural remedy that you really like, I'd love to hear it. Leave me a comment and let me know!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

It's ok to be me - I am still learning this everyday. God has designed me to be exactly who I am - ME. That doesn't mean that I stop trying to be a better version of me. It simply means that I cannot be YOU. I have unique gifts and abilities, some that maybe I wish I didn't have, some I am still figuring out, and hopefully some that will emerge as I learn and grow. I can do things that you can't. You can do things that I can't - and that's OK. And it's good.

My hair is almost completely gray - and very curly. I started noticing gray hairs in high school. One or two here and there, but I would always just yank them out. As I got a little older and the gray seemed to multiply, I started coloring my hair. Not so much because I didn't like my gray, but just to change things up. About two years ago, I decided I wanted to grow my hair out a little (it's been very short for some time now) AND I was going to let my gray grow out with it. Well, it was a little shocking to see just how gray I really am - and that's mostly. But I really love it. I'm 38 and nearly, completely gray. I actually have some totally white highlights in the front.

So, I've gotten used to it and actually really love it, but it still strikes me as so funny when I get random questions about it. People are quite bold - welcome to the Northeast.
"What color do I dye it to get it that color?"
"How old are you?"
"Did I do that on purpose?"
My very recent favorite - "Did you forget to wash out your halloween costume?" - In his defense, he was about 75, and I don't think he meant to be rude.

And then of course I get the "nice" comments from people that actually like it. Honestly, the comments don't bother me anymore. My hair is unique - a total reflection of me! People are just jealous that's all. :)

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Just the other day, I was going through my 13 year olds text messages on her phone like I do periodically. We have an open door policy when it comes to cell phones, ipads, internet, their rooms, backpacks etc. :)

My girls argue a lot of the time. And it's always about trivial things - who ate the last strawberry oatmeal packet, who used my ponytail holder. I mean, seriously, it's almost enough to drive someone to drink. Good thing I don't like the taste of alcohol. I guess I'm lucky that they don't actually fight, it's mostly petty arguing, but it's still annoying. So you can imagine my pleasant surprise when I found texts from my oldest to my youngest telling her to make sure she wears warm clothes for school so she doesn't get cold waiting for the bus. My 13 year old leaves for school almost an hour before my 10 year old. Isn't that just the sweetest thing? It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling. And it wasn't just one text - it was several texts over several days. She's looking out for her little sister. And now we can all let out a collective - AWWWWW

It almost makes me forget about all the unnecessary arguing - ALMOST

What are some sweet things your kids have done for each other without telling you, or without you knowing about it?

Monday, November 4, 2013

Something new is stirring in me. A desire to be more, to do more, to maximize my full potential. I told my husband a couple of weeks ago that I feel like something is coming. So I've been doing some dreaming, planning, mind mapping - you know, all the fun stuff. My husband is my biggest supporter. When I lack the self confidence, he builds me up and gives me 100 reasons why I CAN do it. But he also encourages me in the areas that he really believes I can excel in, rather than just giving me the - "Sure babe, do whatever you want".

Needless to say I am working on the whole self confidence thing. I struggle with the whole - why would anyone want to know what I have to say? What's my experience? But you know what, I'm learning to move past that, to embrace who God is calling me to be. I DO have things to say, I DO have experiences to share. I feel like I am entering a new season of my life, and while it's a little scary, it's also exciting. I used to dread change, but now I almost long for it. Life is too short to not take some risks right? I read this the other day - "If all we have to lose is some time, money and energy, then the risk is worth it." And I couldn't agree more. If you never take the risk, never go for the ask - the answer will always be no. And so what if you get some no's along the way or some funny looks. I'd rather look back and say that I did it, or I tried it, than looking back and wondering what would've happened if I had.

Ya right - wouldn't that be nice if all the answers to parenting were neatly compiled in a nice little blog post?? While I do think we have insight to share, I in no way claim to have all the answers. But hopefully I can share some things that have worked for us, and you guys can share some things that have worked for you. We are all in different parenting stages, and should be building eachother up, not tearing eachother down. We are starting a whole new phase with our girls - read on...

We now have an occasionally overdramatic 13 year old daughter - whose most recent meltdown was the result of someone eating a very specific piece of her halloween candy. And we have a mostly moody 10 year old daughter, who gives you attitude for everything and fights you every step of the way. Needless to say, some days I feel like tying them both to a chair and locking them in a closet giving them all the extra love and attention they need. :)

One thing I know is key - and that is consistency in our parenting. Just because someone may have eaten a piece of their candy doesn't give them permission to act poorly. There are always consequences for their actions. Are we perfect in that disciplinary area? Absolutely not - And the fact that we have 2 very different daughters doesn't make that any easier. What works for one rarely works for the other. And as they get older it gets harder to come up with creative, appropriate forms of discipline. Sometimes I wish there was a magic manual - just say what the problem is and out pops an answer. I wonder if SIRI has any experience with pre-teen/teen discipline? :)

In the end, I know it will all be worth it. We are doing our very best to raise our daughters to be responsible, contributing members of society. We try to work hard at whatever we are doing, whether its our jobs, church, housework etc. We want our kids to see that hard work pays off and that it is important to do your best. And we are starting to reap the benefits of sowing those seeds. Both of our daughters volunteer at our church every weekend. They enjoy it and give their very best. It's not something we forced on them. It makes my heart happy when other adults tell me how much they love my girls and what great helpers they are. We believe in training our girls everyday and preparing them for their eventual departure from us - which when you stop to think about it, isn't really all that far away. Which is bittersweet - but that is another blogpost altogether.

Now if I could just figure out the secret formula to get them to clean their rooms - on their own... oh well, you win some, you lose some - right?

I would like to do a series of parenting posts. Something that has actually been on my heart and mind for quite some time. Not because I am the world's best parent, but because I'm not. And I'm learning everyday how to do right by my girls. Would love to hear about your parenting wins and losses - leave me a message below...

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Why do we always seem to make things so difficult? Sometimes we overthink something - a process, a task, a chore, whatever. Instead of just sucking it up and doing it, we complain or try to think of 1000 other ways to do it so it won't be so unenjoyable. There is a learning and growing process to everything we do. If we are complaining through the "whatevers" we are missing the point. How much different would the "chore" turn out to be, if we just said - This has to get done, so I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability and learn from it in the process. We can learn how to do it better next time, what didn't work that we thought might have. There are always going to be things that we will have to do that we may not want to, or will be uncomfortable for us. But those are times that we should attack the situation head on, because those are the moments that bring the most personal growth.

I can speak from personal experience - Over the last 10 years, I have been put in situations that are out of my comfort zone again and again. I could've just said - No, I'm not doing that. But where would that have gotten me? Instead I chose to look at each situation as a learning process. I may not see the growth right away, but I can tell you that I am a completely different person than I was 10 years ago - for the better. I have had great leaders and mentors that taught me that it's ok to get out of your comfort zone. You actually NEED to do it. I still don't always like being in a situation that is out of my comfort zone, but I know that there is a growing season that will result from it. And I hope that most of us can say that we want to be a better person tomorrow than we are today. So the next time, you are in a situation at work, church, home, wherever - maybe your boss is wanting you to do something you don't think you can do. Maybe there is a reason he is asking you to do it - he seems something in you that you don't. Do it to the best of your ability - learn from your mistakes - do it better next time - and be a better person for it.